The present disclosure relates to overcaps for mounting on the top of cans or containers. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a tamper-evident overcap having a tear strip that must be removed before the overcap can be removed from the can or container.
Overcaps provide a protective covering for a dispensing device (e.g., push-to-spray button, discharge nozzle, etc.) positioned on the can or container. To remove the contents of the can or container, the cap is removed and the dispensing device is activated. Such overcaps are typically formed in a mold using a plastics material such as polypropylene or high-density polyethylene.
The cans or containers are stored in warehouses and later displayed on store shelves for purchase by consumers. During the time period when the cans or containers are stored and displayed, they may be accessible to people who wish to tamper with them. It is known to provide a tear strip that is appended to a bottom portion of the overcap. If the tear strip is missing when the consumer purchases the product, then the consumer is put on notice that the can or container may have been tampered with. After the tear strip is removed from the overcap, a remaining closure portion of the overcap is used to cover the can or container.
According to the present disclosure, a tamper-evident overcap is provided for mounting on a can having a dispenser valve and an annular lip surrounding the dispenser valve. The overcap includes a closure and a tear strip appended to the closure along a frangible tear line.
The tear strip includes, in series, a pull tab, a first arcuate section carrying a first retainer flange, a tether section, and a second arcuate section carrying a second retainer flange. The closure includes a base having a second curved wall carrying a third retainer flange and a first curved wall carrying a fourth retainer flange. The tether section is spaced-apart from the second curved wall yet is arranged to interconnect the first and second arcuate sections. Thus, the pull tab can be used to separate, in sequence, the first and second arcuate sections (carrying the first and second retainer flanges) from the base of the closure without disturbing the first and second curved walls (carrying the third and fourth retainer flanges).
Prior to separation of the tear strip from the closure, when the overcap is mounted on the can, each of the first, second, third, and fourth retainer flanges engages the underside of the annular lip on the can to retain the overcap in a mounted position on the can. Thus, all four retainer flanges will engage the annular lip as long as the tear strip remains coupled to the base of the closure.
Before a user removes the overcap from the can for the first time, the user will use the pull tab to separate the tear strip from the closure along the frangible tear line to disengage the first and second retainer flanges from the annular lip. At this stage, only the third and fourth retainer flanges provided on the closure engage the annular lip on the can to retain the overcap in a mounted position on the can. Thereafter, only the third and fourth retainer flanges provided on the closure will be used to retain the overcap in the mounted position on the can. Thus, the first and second retainer flanges on the tear strip are called “temporary” retainer flanges herein because they do not remain with the closure after separation of the tear strip from the closure. The third and fourth retainer flanges on the closure are called “permanent” retainer flanges herein because they remain with the closure after separation of the tear strip from the closure.
Additional features of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.